JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The North Florida baseball team will begin its 2015 campaign on Friday night with the opener of a three-game series with VMI. The Ospreys open up at home for the fourth-straight year and will take on VMI for the first time in program history.
Probable Starting PitchersFriday: RHP
Tyler Moore (UNF) vs. RHP Andrew Woods (VMI)
Saturday: RHP
Bryan Baker (UNF) vs. RHP Blaine Lafin (VMI)
Sunday: TBA (UNF) vs. LHP Brandon Barbery (VMI)
Opening Day Numbers: For the fourth-straight season the Ospreys open up their season at Harmon Stadium. North Florida is 13-2 when opening up at home and 22-5 overall in season openers.
Preseason Accolades: The Atlantic Sun listed
Donnie Dewees,
Trent Higginbothem and
Corbin Olmstead on its 2015 Preseason All-Conference Team. Olmstead garnered Preseason All-America honors from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association as a designated hitter. The trio was also recognized by Perfect Game on its 2015 Preseason All-Conference Team and Dewees was picked as the Preseason Player of the Year.
Dangerous Lineup: North Florida was the only school in the A-Sun and one of 15 schools in all of Division I to bat .300 or higher last season. The team average was actually down from 2013 when they batted .316, ranking in seventh nationally.
Welcome Back: The Ospreys welcome back three significant players lost last season due to injury.
Tyler Moore will make his first since nearly no-hitting Buffalo at last year's Georgia Bulldog Classic. Outfielder
Donnie Dewees (.347 avg. 5 HR, 47 RBIs in 2013) and first baseman
Ryan Roberson (Career Avg. .334) should add to an already formidable lineup.
Coming in Hot: Red-shirt sophomore
Patrick Ervin enters the series on a six-game hit streak. Last year's primary second-baseman was fourth on the team with a .329 batting average en route to Atlantic Sun All-Freshmen Team honors.
Scouting VMI: VMI will make the transition from the Big South to the Southern Conference in 2015. Last season the Keydets finished the year with a record of 25-23. The VMI offense will be powered by senior Brandon Agnus who earned Second Team All-Big South honors in 2014 after leading the team with a .333 batting average. On the mound, right-hander Andrew Woods steps into the Friday starter role after he went 5-2 with a 2.70 ERA last season.
| | |
| Location | Lexington, Va. | Jacksonville, Fla. |
| Founded | 1839 | 1965 |
| Enrollment | 1,675 | 16,357 |
| Nickname | Keydets | Ospreys |
| Conference | SoCon | Atlantic Sun |
| 2014 Record | 25-23 | 22-31 |
| VMI | North Florida |
| Avg. | .247 | .304 |
| Runs | 203 | 286 |
| Hits | 394 | 576 |
| 2B | 67 | 80 |
| 3B | 12 | 10 |
| RBI | 11 | 35 |
| BB | 156 | 34 |
| ERA | 3.53 | 4.77 |
| SO | 361 | 270 |
| BB | 202 | 170 |
| FLD % | .966 | .970 |
*Numbers based on 2014 Statistics
